Derivatives of native lignin from annual fibre feedstocks

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides derivatives of native lignin having certain aliphatic hydroxyl content. Surprisingly, it has been found that consistent and predictable antioxidant activity may be provided by selecting for derivatives of native lignin having certain aliphatic hydroxyl content.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/826,817, filed Mar. 14, 2013; which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/705,939, filed Feb. 15, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,426,502; which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 61/233,345, filed Aug. 12, 2009; and 61/182,044, filed May 28, 2009. The contents of the above-identified applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

This invention relates to derivatives of native lignin recovered from lignocellulosic feedstocks, and industrial applications thereof. More particularly, this invention relates to derivatives of native lignin having certain chemical properties as well as uses, processes, methods, and compositions thereof.

BACKGROUND

Native lignin is a naturally occurring amorphous complex cross-linked organic macromolecule that comprises an integral component of all plant biomass. The chemical structure of lignin is irregular in the sense that different structural units (e.g., phenylpropane units) are not linked to each other in any systematic order. It is known that native lignin comprises pluralities of two monolignol monomers that are methoxylated to various degrees (trans-coniferyl alcohol and trans-sinapyl alcohol) and a third non-methoxylated monolignol (trans-p-coumaryl alcohol). Various combinations of these monolignols comprise three building blocks of phenylpropanoid structures i.e. guaiacyl monolignol, syringyl monolignol and p-hydroxyphenyl monolignol, respectively, that are polymerized via specific linkages to form the native lignin macromolecule. Extracting native lignin from lignocellulosic biomass during pulping generally results in lignin fragmentation into numerous mixtures of irregular components. Furthermore, the lignin fragments may react with any chemicals employed in the pulping process. Consequently, the generated lignin fractions can be referred to as lignin derivatives and/or technical lignins. As it is difficult to elucidate and characterize such complex mixture of molecules, lignin derivatives are usually described in terms of the lignocellulosic plant material used, and the methods by which they are generated and recovered from lignocellulosic plant material, i.e. hardwood lignins, softwood lignins, and annual fibre lignins.

Native lignins are partially depolymerized during the pulping processes into lignin fragments which dissolve in the pulping liquors and subsequently separated from the cellulosic pulps. Post-pulping liquors containing lignin and polysaccharide fragments, and other extractives, are commonly referred to as “black liquors” or “spent liquors”, depending on the pulping process. Such liquors are generally considered a by-product, and it is common practice to combust them to recover some energy value in addition to recovering the cooking chemicals. However, it is also possible to precipitate and/or recover lignin derivatives from these liquors. Each type of pulping process used to separate cellulosic pulps from other lignocellulosic components produces lignin derivatives that are very different in their physico-chemical, biochemical, and structural properties.

Given that lignin derivatives are available from renewable biomass sources there is an interest in using these derivatives in certain industrial applications. For example, lignin derivatives obtained via organosolv extraction, such as the Alcell® process (Alcell is a registered trademark of Lignol Innovations Ltd., Burnaby, BC, Calif.), have been used in rubber products, adhesives, resins, plastics, asphalt, cement, casting resins, agricultural products, oil-field products and as feedstocks for the production of fine chemicals.

However, large-scale commercial application of the extracted lignin derivatives, particularly those isolated in traditional pulping processes employed in the manufacture of pulp for paper production, has been limited due to, for example, the inconsistency of their chemical and functional properties. This inconsistency may, for example, be due to changes in feedstock supplies and the particular extraction/generation/recovery conditions. These issues are further complicated by the complexity of the molecular structures of lignin derivatives produced by the various extraction methods and the difficulty in performing reliable routine analyses of the structural conformity and integrity of recovered lignin derivatives. For instance, lignin derivatives are known to have antioxidant properties (e.g. Catignani G. L., Carter M. E., Antioxidant Properties of Lignin, Journal of Food Science, Volume 47, Issue 5, 1982, p. 1745; Pan X. et al. J. Agric. Food Chem., Vol. 54, No. 16, 2006, pp. 5806-5813) but, to date, these properties have been highly variable making the industrial application of lignin derivatives as an antioxidant problematic.

Thermoplastics and thermosets are used extensively for a wide variety of purposes. Examples of thermoplastics include classes of polyesters, polycarbonates, polylactates, polyvinyls, polystyrenes, polyamides, polyacetates, polyacrylates, polypropylene, and the like. Polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene represent a large market, amounting to more than 100 million metric tons annually. During manufacturing, processing and use the physical and chemical properties of certain thermoplastics can be adversely affected by various factors such as exposure to heat, UV radiation, light, oxygen, mechanical stress or the presence of impurities. Clearly it is advantageous to mitigate or avoid these problems. In addition, the increase in recycling of material has led to an increased need to address these issues.

Degradation caused by free radicals, exposure to UV radiation, heat, light, and environmental pollutants are frequent causes of the adverse effects. A stabilizer such as an antioxidant, anti-ozonant, or UV block is often included in thermoplastic resins for the purpose of aiding in the production process and extending the useful life of the product. Common examples of stabilizers and antioxidants include amine types, phenolic types, phenol alkanes, phosphites, and the like. These additives often have undesirable or even unacceptable environmental, health and safety, economic, and/or disposal issues associated with their use. Furthermore, certain of these stabilizers/antioxidants can reduce the biodegradability of the product.

It has been suggested that lignin may provide a suitable polymeric natural antioxidant which has an acceptable good toxicity, efficacy, and environmental profile. See, for example, A. Gregorova et al., Radical scavenging capacity of lignin and its effect on processing stabilization of virgin and recycled polypropylene, Journal of Applied Polymer Science 106-3 (2007) pp. 1626-1631; C. Pouteau et al. Antioxidant Properties of Lignin in Polypropylene, Polymer Degradation and Stability 81 (2003) 9-18. Despite the advantages of lignin, for a variety of reasons, it has not been adopted for widespread use as an antioxidant. For instance, it is often problematic to provide lignins that perform consistently in terms of antioxidant activity. Also, the processing of the lignin may introduce substances that are incompatible for use with chemicals such as polyolefins. Additionally, the cost of producing and/or purifying the lignin may make it uneconomic for certain uses.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides derivatives of native lignin having a certain aliphatic hydroxyl content. Surprisingly, it has been found that consistent and predictable antioxidant activity may be provided by selecting for derivatives of native lignin having certain aliphatic hydroxyl contents.

As used herein, the term “native lignin” refers to lignin in its natural state, in plant material.

As used herein, the terms “lignin derivatives” and “derivatives of native lignin” refer to lignin material extracted from lignocellulosic biomass. Usually, such material will be a mixture of chemical compounds that are generated during the extraction process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the quantitative ¹³C NMR spectrum of non-acetylated sugarcane bagasse lignin derivatives.

FIG. 2 shows the quantitative ¹³C NMR spectrum of acetylated sugarcane bagasse lignin derivatives.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides derivatives of native lignin from annual feedstocks having certain aliphatic hydroxyl contents. It has been found that the aliphatic hydroxyl content of lignin derivatives can be correlated to the Radical Scavenging Index (RSI), a measure of antioxidant activity. Thus, selecting for derivatives of native lignin having a certain aliphatic hydroxyl content results in a product having a more consistent level of antioxidant activity. It has been found that derivatives of native lignin from annual feedstocks having an aliphatic hydroxyl content of about 1 mmol/g to about 3.75 mmol/g have a predictable level of antioxidant activity.

Radical Scavenging Index (RSI) is a measure of radical scavenging capacity. The assay uses 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), a stable free radical which absorbs light strongly at 515 nm, to measure a compound's radical scavenging index (RSI). In its radical form, DPPH• absorbs strongly at 515 nm and has a deep purple colour. As DPPH gives up its free electron to radical scavengers, it loses its purple colour and its absorbance shifts to 520 nm. The greater the drop in DPPH absorbance at 515 nm after a test compound has been added to the DPPH solution, the higher the compound's free RSI and also, its antioxidant activity. In the present invention, Vitamin E (Vit. E) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are used as positive controls. The lignin derivative samples (1.0-2.0 mg), Vit. E control samples (1.0-2.0 mg), and BHT control samples (6.0-8.0 mg) are prepared for testing by being placed into microcentrifuge tubes after which each was diluted with 1.0 mL of 90% (v/v) aqueous dioxan, vortexed, transferred to new microcentrifuge tubes and further diluted 50/50 with 90% aqueous dioxane to give stock concentrations of 0.5-1.0 mg/mL for samples and Vitamin E and 3.0-4.0 mg/mL for BHT. An indicating (purple) DPPH stable free radical solution is made by dissolving 3.78 mg DPPH in 100 mL 90% dioxane (95.9 μM). Samples and standards are serially diluted to fill columns of a quartz 96-well plate (8 dilutions). The assays are performed by placing aliquots of the sample stock solutions into two rows of wells in a 96-well plate. The first row served as the reference row while the second row received DPPH aliquots. 165 μL of 90% dioxane was added to each well and mixed. Aliquots of the mixed samples in each row are transferred to the adjacent row which is further diluted with 165 μL of 90% dioxane in each well. The mixing, transferring and dilution are repeated until the last row of wells is prepared. The same volume of aliquots is removed from the last row. The 96-well plate also contains a row of wells that received only the 90% dioxane. In the final step of the preparation procedure, 165 μL of the DPPH solution is added as quickly as possible to all the control and analytical columns by using an 8-channel auto-pipette and an Eppendorf® reagent reservoir. As soon as all reagents are added, the plate is placed into a plate-reading spectrophotometer (Spectra Max Plus, Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, Calif., USA), and absorbance measurements are carried out. The program for the spectrophotometer (SOFTmax software) consists of a timing sequence of 16 min and a reading of the entire plate at 515 nm. RSI is defined as the inverse of the concentration which produces 50% inhibition in DPPH absorbance at 515 nm. The results are then ‘normalized’ by dividing the sample RSI by the RSI value for the BHT control. The normalized RSI is represented by this acronym “NRSI”.

In the present invention, “aliphatic hydroxyl content” refers to the quantity of aliphatic hydroxyl groups in the lignin derivatives and is the arithmetic sum of the quantity of primary and secondary hydroxyl groups (OHal=OHpr+OHsec). The aliphatic hydroxyl content can be measured by quantitative ¹³C high resolution NMR spectroscopy of acetylated and non-acetylated lignin derivatives, using, for instance, 1,3,5-trioxane and tetramethyl silane (TMS) as internal references. For the data analysis “BASEOPT” (DIGMOD set to baseopt) routine in the software package TopSpin 2.1.4 was used to predict the first FID data point back at the mid-point of ¹³C r.f. pulse in the digitally filtered data was used. For the NMR spectra recording a Bruker AVANCE II digital NMR spectrometer running TopSpin 2.1 was used. The spectrometer used a Bruker 54 mm bore Ultrashield magnet operating at 14.1 Tesla (600.13 MHz for ¹H, 150.90 MHz for ¹³C). The spectrometer was coupled with a Bruker QNP cryoprobe (5 mm NMR samples, ¹³C direct observe on inner coil, ¹H outer coil) that had both coils cooled by helium gas to 20K and all preamplifiers cooled to 77K for maximum sensitivity. Sample temperature was maintained at 300 K±0.1 K using a Bruker BVT 3000 temperature unit and a Bruker BCU05 cooler with ca. 95% nitrogen gas flowing over the sample tube at a rate of 800 L/h.

Quantification of ethoxyl groups was performed similarly to aliphatic hydroxyls quantification by high resolution ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Identification of ethoxyl groups was confirmed by 2D NMR HSQC spectroscopy. 2D NMR spectra were recorded by a Bruker 700 MHz UltraShield Plus standard bore magnet spectrometer equipped with a sensitive cryogenically cooled 5 mm TCI gradient probe with inverse geometry. The acquisition parameters were as follow: standard Bruker pulse program hsqcetgp, temperature of 298 K, a 90° pulse, 1.1 sec pulse delay (d1), and acquisition time of 60 msec.

The present invention provides derivatives of native lignin recovered during or after pulping of lignocellulosic feedstocks. The pulp may be from any suitable lignocellulosic feedstock such as as from annual fibre feedstocks. Annual fibre feedstocks include biomass derived from annual plants, plants which complete their growth in one growing season and therefore must be planted yearly. Examples of annual fibers include: flax, cereal straw (wheat, barley, oats), sugarcane bagasse, rice straw, corn stover, corn cobs, hemp, fruit pulp, alfa grass, switchgrass, and combinations/hybrids thereof. Industrial residues like corn cobs, fruit peals, seeds, etc. may also be considered annual fibers since they are commonly derived from annual fibre biomass such as edible crops and fruits. For example, the annual fibre feedstock may be selected from wheat straw, corn stover, corn cobs, sugar cane bagasse, and combinations/hybrids thereof.

Derivatives of native lignin according to the present invention, coming from annual fibre feedstocks tend to have a NRSI of about 100 or less, about 90 or less, about 80 or less, about 70 or less, about 60 or less.

In the present invention, derivatives of native lignin from annual fibre feedstocks may have an aliphatic hydroxyl content of, for example, about 3.75 mmol/g or less; about 3.5 mmol/g or less; about 3.25 mmol/g or less; about 3 mmol/g or less; about 2.75 mmol/g or less; about 2.5 mmol/g or less; about 2.35 mmol/g or less; about 2.25 mmol/g or less.

In the present invention, derivatives of native lignin from annual fibre feedstocks may have an aliphatic hydroxyl content of, for example, about 1 mmol/g or greater; about 1.1 mmol/g or greater; about 1.2 mmol/g or greater; about 1.3 mmol/g or greater; about 1.4 mmol/g or greater; about 1.5 mmol/g or greater.

The derivatives of native lignin will vary with the type of process used to separate native lignins from cellulose and other biomass constituents. Preparations very similar to native lignin can be obtained by (1) solvent extraction of finely ground wood (milled-wood lignin, MWL) or by (2) acidic dioxane extraction (acidolysis) of wood. Derivatives of native lignin can be also isolated from biomass pre-treated using (3) steam explosion, (4) dilute acid hydrolysis, (5) ammonia fibre expansion, (6) autohydrolysis methods. Derivatives of native lignin can be recovered after pulping of lignocellulosics including industrially operated (3) kraft and (4) soda pulping (and their modifications) and (5) sulphite pulping. In addition, a number of various pulping methods have been developed but not industrially introduced. Among them four major “organosolv” pulping methods tend to produce highly-purified lignin mixtures. The first organosolv method uses ethanol/solvent pulping (aka the Alcell® process); the second organosolv method uses alkaline sulphite anthraquinone methanol pulping (aka the “ASAM” process); the third organosolv process uses methanol pulping followed by methanol, NaOH, and anthraquinone pulping (aka the “Organocell” process); the fourth organosolv process uses acetic acid/hydrochloric acid or formic acid pulping (aka the “Acetosolv” process).

It should be noted that kraft pulping, sulphite pulping, and ASAM organosolv pulping will generate derivatives of native lignin containing significant amounts of organically-bound sulphur which may make them unsuitable for certain uses. Acid hydrolysis, soda pulping, steam explosion, Alcell® pulping, Organocell pulping, and Acetosolv pulping will generate derivatives of native lignin that are sulphur-free or contain low amounts of inorganic sulphur.

Organosolv processes, particularly the Alcell® process, tend to be less aggressive and can be used to separate highly purified lignin derivatives and other useful materials from biomass without excessively altering or damaging the native lignin building blocks. Such processes can therefore be used to maximize the value from all the components making up the biomass. Organosolv extraction processes however typically involve extraction at higher temperatures and pressures with a flammable solvent compared to other industrial processes and thus are generally considered to be more complex and expensive.

A description of the Alcell® process can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,596 (herein incorporated by reference). The process generally comprises pulping or pre-treating a fibrous biomass feedstock with primarily an ethanol/water solvent solution under conditions that include: (a) 60% ethanol/40% water (w/w), (b) temperature of about 180° C. to about 210° C., (c) pressure of about 20 atm to about 35 atm, and (d) a processing time of 5 to 120 minutes. Native lignins are degraded during pulping and their derivatives are dissolved into the pulping liquor which also receives solubilised hemicelluloses, other saccharides, carbohydrate-degradation products such as furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, acetic, levulinic, formic, and other organic acids derived from carbohydrates and extractives such as lipophilic extractives, phenols, and tannins. Organosolv pulping liquors are often called “black liquors”. The organic acids released by organosolv pulping significantly acidify the black liquors to pH levels of about 5 and lower. After separation from the cellulosic pulps produced during the pulping process, the derivatives of native lignin are recovered from the black liquors by depressurization followed by flashing with cold water which will cause the fractionated derivatives of native lignin to precipitate thereby enabling their recovery by standard solids/liquids separation processes. Various disclosures exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 7,465,791 and PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 2007/129921, describe modifications to the Alcell organosolv process for the purposes of increasing the yields of fractionated derivatives of native lignin recovered from fibrous biomass feedstocks during biorefining. Modifications to the Alcell organosolv process conditions included adjusting: (a) ethanol concentration in the pulping liquor to a value selected from a range of 35%-85% (w/w) ethanol, (b) temperature to a value selected from a range of 100° C. to 350° C., (c) pressure to a value selected from a range of 5 atm to 35 atm, and (d) processing time to a duration from a range of 20 minutes to about 2 hours or longer, (e) liquor-to-wood ratio of 3:1 to 15:1 or higher, (f) pH of the cooking liquor from a range of 1 to 6.5 or higher if a basic catalyst is used.

The present invention provides a process for producing derivatives of native lignin, said process comprising:

(a) pulping a fibrous biomass feedstock with an organic solvent/water solution,

(b) separating the cellulosic pulps or pre-treated substrates from the pulping liquor or pre-treatment solution,

(c) recovering derivatives of native lignin.

The organic solvent may be selected from short chain primary and secondary alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, and combinations thereof. For example, the solvent may be ethanol. The liquor solution may comprise about 20%, by weight, or greater, about 30% or greater, about 50% or greater, about 60% or greater, about 70% or greater, of ethanol.

Step (a) of the process may be carried out at a temperature of from about 100° C. and greater, or about 120° C. and greater, or about 140° C. and greater, or about 160° C. and greater, or about 170° C. and greater, or about 180° C. and greater. The process may be carried out at a temperature of from about 300° C. and less, or about 280° C. and less, or about 260° C. and less, or about 240° C. and less, or about 220° C. and less, or about 210° C. and less, or about 205° C. and less, or about 200° C. and less.

Step (a) of the process may be carried out at a pressure of about 5 atm and greater, or about 10 atm and greater, or about 15 atm and greater, or about 20 atm and greater, or about 25 atm and greater, or about 30 atm and greater. The process may be carried out at a pressure of about 150 atm and less, or about 125 atm and less, or about 115 atm and less, or about 100 atm and less, or about 90 atm and less, or about 80 atm and less.

The fibrous biomass may be treated with the solvent solution of step (a) for about 1 minute or more, about 5 minutes or more, about 10 minutes or more, about 15 minutes or more, about 30 minutes or more. The fibrous biomass may be treated with the solvent solution of step (a) at its operating temperature for about 360 minutes or less, about 300 minutes or less, about 240 minutes or less, about 180 minutes or less, about 120 minutes or less.

The pH of the pulp liquor may, for example, be from about 1 to about 6, or from about 1.5 to about 5.5.

The weight ratio of liquor to biomass may be any suitable ratio. For example, from about 5:1 to about 15:1, from about 5.5:1 to about 10:1; from about 6:1 to about 8:1.

The present invention provides a process for producing a lignin derivative from an annual fibre feedstock having an aliphatic hydroxyl content of from about 1 mmol/g to about 3.75 mmol/g. Said process comprises:

-   -   a) pulping or pre-treating a fibrous biomass feedstock in a         vessel with an organic solvent/water solvent solution to form a         liquor, wherein:         -   i. the solution comprises about 30% or greater, by weight,             of organic solvent; and         -   ii. the pH of the liquor is from about 1 to about 5.5;     -   b) heating the liquor to about 100° C. or greater;     -   c) raising the pressure in the vessel to about 5 atm or greater;     -   d) maintaining the elevated temperature and pressure for 1         minute or longer;     -   e) separating the cellulosic pulps from the pulp liquor     -   f) recovering derivatives of native lignin.

The derivatives of native lignin herein may be incorporated into polymer compositions. The compositions herein may comprise a lignin derivative according to the present invention and a polymer-forming component. As used herein, the term ‘polymer-forming component’ means a component that is capable of being polymerized into a polymer as well as a polymer that has already been formed. For example, in certain embodiments the polymer-forming component may comprise monomer units which are capable of being polymerized. In certain embodiments the polymer component may comprise oligomer units that are capable of being polymerized. In certain embodiments the polymer component may comprise a polymer that is already substantially polymerized.

Polymers forming components for use herein may result in thermoplastic or thermoset polymers such as epoxy resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, phenol-formaldehyde resins, polyimides, and the like. For example, polyalkenes such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

Typically, the lignin derivative will comprise from about 0.1%, by weight, or greater, about 0.5% or greater, about 1% or greater, of the composition. Typically, the lignin derivative will comprise from about 80%, by weight, or less, about 60% or less, about 40% or less, about 20% or less, about 10% or less, of the composition.

The compositions comprise lignin derivative and polymer-forming component but may comprise a variety of other optional ingredients such as adhesion promoters; biocides (antibacterials, fungicides, and moldicides), anti-fogging agents; anti-static agents; bonding, blowing and foaming agents; dispersants; fillers and extenders; fire and flame retardants and smoke suppressants; impact modifiers; initiators; lubricants; micas; pigments, colorants and dyes; plasticizers; processing aids; release agents; silanes, titanates and zirconates; slip and anti-blocking agents; stabilizers; stearates; ultraviolet light absorbers; foaming agents; defoamers; hardeners; odorants; deodorants; antifouling agents; viscosity regulators; waxes; and combinations thereof.

The present invention provides the use of the present derivatives of native lignin as an antioxidant. For example, the present use may be as an antioxidant additive for use with thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamides, styrene-butadiene, natural rubber, and combinations thereof.

The present invention provides methods of producing annual fibre derivatives of native lignin having an aliphatic hydroxyl content of about 3.75 mmol/g or less; 3.5 mmol/g or less; 3.25 mmol/g or less; 3 mmol/g or less; 2.75 mmol/g or less; 2.5 mmol/g or less; 2.35 mmol/g or less; 2.25 mmol/g or less. The present invention provides methods of producing annual fibre derivatives of native lignin having an aliphatic hydroxyl content of about 1 mmol/g or greater; about 1.1 mmol/g or greater; about 1.2 mmol/g or greater; about 1.3 mmol/g or greater; about 1.4 mmol/g or greater; about 1.5 mmol/g or greater.

The present invention provides methods of producing annual fibre derivatives of native lignin having a normalized RSI of 15 or greater, 20 or greater, 25 or greater, 30 or greater, 35 or greater. The present invention provides methods of producing annual fibre derivatives of native lignin having a normalized RSI of about 100 or less, about 90 or less, about 80 or less, about 70 or less, about 60 or less.

The present invention provides lignin derivatives comprising alkoxy groups. For example, the present lignin derivatives may have an alkoxy content of 2 mmol/g or less; about 1.4 mmol/g or less; about 1.2 mmol/g or less; about 1 mmol/g or less; about 0.8 mmol/g or less; about 0.7 mmol/g or less; about 0.6 mmol/g or less; about 0.5 mmol/g or less; about 0.4 mmol/g or less; about 0.3 mmol/g or less. The present lignin derivatives may have an alkoxy content of 0.001 mmol/g or greater, about 0.01 mmol/g of greater, about 0.05 mmol/g or greater, about 0.1 mmol/g or greater.

The present invention provides lignin derivatives comprising ethoxyl groups. For example, the present lignin derivatives may have an ethoxyl content of 2 mmol/g or less; about 1.4 mmol/g or less; about 1.2 mmol/g or less; about 1 mmol/g or less; about 0.8 mmol/g or less; about 0.7 mmol/g or less; about 0.6 mmol/g or less; about 0.5 mmol/g or less; about 0.4 mmol/g or less; about 0.3 mmol/g or less. The present lignin derivatives may have an ethoxyl content of 0.001 mmol/g or greater, about 0.01 mmol/g of greater, about 0.05 mmol/g or greater, about 0.1 mmol/g or greater.

The present lignin derivatives may have any suitable phenolic hydroxyl content such as from about 2 mmol/g to about 8 mmol/g. For example, the phenolic hydroxyl content may be from about 2.5 mmol/g to about 7 mmol/g; about 3 mmol/g to about 6 mmol/g.

The present lignin derivatives may have any suitable number average molecular weight (Mn). For example, the Mn may be from about 200 g/mol to about 3000 g/mol; about 350 g/mol to about 2000 g/mol; about 500 g/mol to about 1500 g/mol.

The present lignin derivatives may have any suitable weight average molecular weight (Mw). For example, the Mw may be from about 500 g/mol to about 5000 g/mol; about 750 g/mol to about 4000 g/mol; about 900 g/mol to about 3500 g/mol.

The present lignin derivatives may have any suitable polydispersity (D). For example, the D may be from about 1 to about 5; from about 1.2 to about 4; from about 1.3 to about 3.5; from about 1.4 to about 3.

The present lignin derivatives are preferably hydrophobic. Hydrophobicity may be assessed using contact angle measurements.

It has been suggested that lignins or lignin derivatives may be used in nutritional supplements (e.g. Baurhoo et. al., Purified Lignin: Nutritional and Health Impacts on Farm Animals—A Review, Animal Feed Science and Technology 144 (2008) 175-184). The present derivatives of native lignin may be used in nutritional supplements, nutraceuticals, functional foods, and the like. The stable and consistent antioxidant activity may be advantageous when formulating such compositions.

The present derivatives of native lignin may be used for other purposes such as, for example, laminates, stains, pigments, inks, adhesives, coatings, rubbers, elastomers, plastics, films, paints, carbon fibre composites, panel boards, print-circuit boards, lubricants, surfactants, oils, animal feed, food and beverages, and the like.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Recovery of Lignin Derivatives from Annual Fibre Feedstocks

Annual fibre feedstock pretreated biomass was prepared from: (1) wheat straw produced in Alberta, Canada, (2) bagasse produced from sugarcane grown and processed in Brazil, and (3) corn cobs produced in Europe. Five samples of wheat straw biomass were individually pulped using an acid-catalysed ethanol organosolv pulping process wherein a different set of pulping conditions was used for each sample (Table 1). Process conditions for pulping five samples of sugarcane bagasse biomass are shown in Table 2. Process conditions for pulping five samples of shredded corn cob biomass are shown in Table 3.

TABLE 1 Pulping conditions for wheat straw biomass samples at 6:1 liquor-to-wood ratio. Acid Time Temperature Ethanol PL Run pH % min ° C. % % 1 2.86 0.30 90 195 41 38.17 2 2.26 0.90 49 192 37 37.01 3 2.24 2.00 48 184 65 43.48 4 2.03 2.00 77 176 42 40.81 5 2.45 1.00 79 178 49 39.27

TABLE 2 Pulping conditions for sugarcane bagasse biomass samples at 6:1 liquor-to-wood ratio. Acid Time Temperature Ethanol PL Run pH % min ° C. % % 1 2.19 2.50 61 178 66 49.76 2 2.01 3.00 23 170 66 39.56 3 2.19 2.00 54 164 58 44.95 4 2.93 0.40 69 184 42 30.26 5 3.26 0.30 32 197 51 42.14

TABLE 3 Pulping conditions for corn cob biomass samples at 6:1 liquor-to-wood ratio. Acid Time Temperature Ethanol PL Run pH % min ° C. % % 1 2.18 2.20 100 190 67 56.58 2 2.21 2.00 48 184 65 49.62 3 2.11 1.50 106 176 38 32.28 4 2.31 1.30 94 178 61 47.72 5 2.50 0.70 59 182 45 37.77

For each biomass sample, the ethanol pulping solvent was prepared to the specified concentration by first, partially diluting the ethanol with water after which, a suitable amount of sulphuric acid was added to achieve the target final acidity. Finally, the ethanol solution was further diluted with water to achieve the target ethanol concentration.

The original lignin content of each fibrous biomass subsample was determined using the methods described in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Technical Report entitled “Determination of Structural Carbohydrates and Lignin in Biomass”—Laboratory Analytical Procedure (TP-510-42618 (25 Apr. 2008)). Then, after adding the fibrous biomass sample to a pressure vessel (2 L or 7 L Parr reactor (Parr Instrument Company, Moline, Ill., USA)) (100-700 g odw chips), the pH-adjusted ethanol-based pulping solvent was added to the vessel at a 6:1 liquor:wood ratio & the pH recorded. The vessel was then pressurized and brought up to the target temperature listed in Tables 1-3 (wheat straw, bagasse, corn cobs, respectively). The biomass sample was then “cooked” for the specified period of time, after which, the pulping process was stopped. After pulping, the contents of pressure vessel were transferred to a hydraulic 20 ton manual shop press (Airco, China). The liquor was separated from the solids by first squeezing the pulped materials in the press to express the liquor. The expressed liquor was then filtered through a coarse silk screen to separate expressed chip residues from liquor stream. Next, fine particles were separated out from the liquor stream by filtration through fine filter paper (Whatman No 1). The recovered fine particles represent lignin derivatives that were extracted and self-precipitated out from the liquor during cooling of the pulped biomass. The particulate lignin is herein referred to as self-precipitated lignin derivatives (i.e., “SPL”). The solubilized lignin derivatives still remaining in the filtered liquor were precipitated from by dilution with cold water. The lignin derivatives precipitated by dilution with cold water are referred to as precipitated lignin or “PL”. After determination of the dry weights of SPL and PL lignin derivatives, the relative yield of each lignin derivative was determined in reference to total lignin (sum of the Klason lignin (acid-insoluble lignin) and acid-soluble lignin) value determined for the original biomass sample before pulping. The yield of PL lignin derivatives for each sample is shown in Tables 1-3 on a weight % basis relative to their original lignin (Klason plus acid-soluble lignin values).

Example 2 Characterization of the Aliphatic Hydroxyl Content of Lignin Derivatives Recovered from Three Annual Fibre Species

Functionalized lignin derivatives recovered from annual fibre biomass samples as described above, were analyzed to determine the content of primary hydroxyl groups mmol/g sample (OH-pr mmol/g) and content of secondary hydroxyl groups mmol/g sample (OH-sec mmol/g). These values were then used to calculate mmol aliphatic hydroxyl groups/g sample (OH-al mmol/g).

The hydroxyl contents were determined by quantitative ¹³C NMR spectroscopy on a Bruker 600 MHz spectrometer equipped with Cryoprobe at 300 K using ca 30% solutions of sample in DMSO-d₆. Chemical shifts were referenced to TMS (0.0 ppm). To ensure more accurate baseline, especially in the carbonyl region (215-185 ppm), the spectra were recorded in the interval 240-(−40) ppm. The following conditions were provided for the quantitative ¹³C-NMR:

-   -   1. Inverse gate detection;     -   2. a 90° pulse;     -   3. Complete relaxation of all nuclei was achieved by addition of         chromium (III) acetylacetonate (0.01 M) and using a 1.2 s         acquisition time and 1.7 s relaxation delay acquisition         parameters.

The NMR spectra were Fourier-transformed, phased, calibrated using TMS signals as a reference (0 ppm), and the baseline was corrected by using a polynomial function. The correction of baseline was done using the following interval references to be adjusted to zero: (220-215 ppm)-(185-182 ppm)-(97-92 ppm)-(5-(−20)ppm). No other regions were forced to 0. The signals in the quantitative ¹³C NMR spectra were assigned on the basis of 2D HSQC spectra and a known database. The spectra were integrated then using the area of internal standard (IS), trioxane, as the reference. Each spectrum was processed (as described) at least twice to ensure good reproducibility of the quantification. Some carboxyl and ester groups resonate in the resonance area of hydroxyl groups (171.5-166.5 ppm) in the spectra of acetylated lignins. The amounts of carboxyl and ester groups resonated in the interval of 171.5-166.5 ppm were determined from the spectra of non-acetylated lignins. The corrected content of hydroxyl groups was obtained then by deduction of the amounts of the carboxyl and ester groups from the corresponding resonances of hydroxyl groups (Table 4). The calculation of the quantity of the specific moieties was done as follows:

For non-acetylated lignins: X (mmol/g lignin)=I _(X) *m _(IS)/(30 m_(Lig) *I _(IS))*1000

For acetylated lignins: X (mmol/g lignin)=I _(X) *m _(IS)/(30 m_(Lig) *I _(IS)−42*I _(OHtotal) *m _(IS))*1000

Where X was the amount of the specific moiety; I_(X), I_(S) and I_(OHtotal) were the resonance values of the specific moiety (Table 4), the internal standard and total OH groups, correspondingly; m_(Lig) and m_(IS) are the masses of the lignin and internal standard.

The recorded NMR spectroscopic data are processed and graphically illustrated as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 shows quantitative ¹³C NMR spectrum of non-acetylated sugarcane bagasse lignin derivatives. FIG. 2 shows quantitative ¹³C NMR spectrum of acetylated sugarcane bagasse lignin derivatives

TABLE 4 Symbol I_(X) in Calculation Equation Analytical Method OH-pr Resonance at 171.5-169.7 ppm in the Quantitative ¹³C High mmol/g quantitative ¹³C NMR spectra of Resolution NMR of acetylated lignins minus resonance at lignin using 1,3,5- 171.5-169.7 ppm in the quantitative trioxane as ¹³C NMR spectra of non-acetylated internal reference lignins OH-sec Resonance at 169.7-169.2 ppm in the Quantitative ¹³C High mmol/g quantitative ¹³C NMR spectra of Resolution NMR of acetylated lignins minus resonance at lignin using 1,3,5- 169.7-169.2 ppm in the quantitative trioxane as ¹³C NMR spectra of non-acetylated internal reference lignins OH-total Resonance at 171.5-165.0 ppm in the Quantitative ¹³C High mmol/g quantitative ¹³C NMR spectra of Resolution NMR of acetylated lignins minus resonance at lignin using 1,3,5- 171.5-166.5 ppm in the quantitative trioxane as ¹³C NMR spectra of non-acetylated internal reference lignins OH-al OH-al = OH-pr + OH-sec mmol/g OEt Resonance at 16.0-14.5 ppm in the Quantitative ¹³C High mmol/g quantitative ¹³C NMR spectra (both Resolution NMR of in acetylated and non-acetylated lignin using 1,3,5- lignins, calculated as average) trioxane as internal reference combined with 2D ¹H-¹³C NMR

The aliphatic hydroxyl contents of the PL lignin derivatives from each of the five samples of wheat straw biomass are shown in Table 5. The contents ranged from 2.03 mmol/g in sample 1.00 to 3.36 mmol/g in sample 5.

TABLE 5 Aliphatic hydroxyl content and radical scavenging index of PL lignins recovered from wheat straw biomass. OH-pr OH-sec OH-al Run mmol/g mmol/g mmol/g NRSI 1 1.20 0.82 2.03 54.03 2 1.36 1.10 2.47 55.32 3 1.67 1.15 2.82 36.63 4 1.66 1.42 3.08 42.18 5 1.80 1.56 3.36 36.82

The aliphatic hydroxyl contents of the PL lignin derivatives from each of the five samples of sugarcane bagasse biomass are shown in Table 6. The contents ranged from 1.74 mmol/g in sample 1 to 2.92 mmol/g in sample 5.

TABLE 6 Aliphatic hydroxyl content and radical scavenging index of PL lignins recovered from sugarcane bagasse biomass. OH-pr OH-sec OH-al Run mmol/g mmol/g mmol/g NRSI 1 1.02 0.73 1.74 52.34 2 1.19 0.89 2.09 41.80 3 1.31 1.02 2.34 38.74 4 1.47 1.05 2.51 37.80 5 1.53 1.39 2.92 39.05

The aliphatic hydroxyl contents of the PL lignin derivatives from each of the four samples of corn cob biomass are shown in Table 7. The contents ranged from 1.58 mmol/g in sample 1 to 3.16 mmol/g in sample 5.

TABLE 7 Aliphatic hydroxyl content and radical scavenging index of PL lignins recovered from corn cob biomass. OH-pr OH-sec OH-al Run mmol/g mmol/g mmol/g NRSI 1 0.95 0.63 1.58 45.15 2 0.50 1.62 2.12 40.34 3 0.82 1.58 2.39 42.20 4 0.80 1.97 2.77 38.30 5 1.37 1.79 3.16 51.41

Example 3 Characterization of the NRSI of Lignin Derivatives Recovered from Three Annual Fibre Species

The lignin derivatives samples produced above were assessed for their radical scavenging index (RSI). The potential antioxidant activity of each PL lignin derivative was determined by measuring its radical savaging capacity. The assay used 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), a stabile free radical which absorbs light strongly at 515 nm to measure a compound's radical scavenging index (RSI). In its radical form, DPPH• absorbs strongly at 515 nm and has a deep purple colour. As DPPH gives up its free electron to radical scavengers, it loses its purple colour and its absorbance shifts to 520 nm. The greater the drop in DPPH absorbance at 515 nm after a test compound has been added to the DPPH solution, the higher the compound's free RSI and also, its antioxidant activity. In the present study, Vit. E and BHT were used as positive controls. HPLY lignin derivative subsamples (1.0-2.0 mg), Vit. E control samples (1.0-2.0 mg), and BHT control samples (6.0-8.0 mg) were prepared for testing by being placed into epitubes after which, each was diluted with 1.0 mL of 90% (v/v) aqueous dioxan, vortexed, transferred to new epitubes and then further diluted 50/50 with 90% aqueous dioxane to give stock concentrations of 0.5-1.0 mg/mL for samples and Vitamin E and 3.0-4.0 mg/mL for BHT. An indicating (purple) DPPH stable free radical solution is made by dissolving 3.78 mg DPPH in 100 mL 90% dioxane (95.9 μM). Samples and standards are serial diluted to fill columns of a quartz 96-well plate (8 dilutions). The assays were performed by placing aliquots of the sample stock solutions into two rows of wells in a 96-well plate. The first row served as the reference row while the second row received DPPH aliquots. 165 μL of 90% dioxane was added to each well and mixed. Aliquots of the mixed samples in each row were transferred to the adjacent row and further diluted with 165 μL of 90% dioxane in each well. The mixing, transferring and dilution were repeated until the last row of wells is prepared. The same volume of aliquots was removed from the last row. The 96-well plate also contained a row of wells that received only the 90% dioxane. In the final step of the preparation procedure, 165 μL of the DPPH solution was added to all the control and analytical columns by using an 8-channel auto-pipette and an Eppendorf® reagent reservoir as quickly as possible. As soon as all reagents are added, the plate is placed into a plate-reading spectrophotometer (Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, Calif., USA, Spectra Max Plus), and absorbance measurements are commenced. The program for the spectrophotometer (SOFTmax software) consisted of a timing sequence of 16 min and a reading of the entire plate at 515 nm. RSI (radical scavenging index) is defined as the inverse of the concentration which that produced 50% inhibition in DPPH absorbance at 515 nm. The results were then ‘normalized’ (NRSI) by dividing the sample RSI by the RSI value for the BHT control.

The NRSI values for lignin derivatives recovered from wheat straw biomass are shown in Table 5. The NRSI values for lignin derivatives recovered from sugarcane bagasse biomass are shown in Table 6. The NRSI values for lignin derivatives recovered from corn cob biomass are shown in Table 7. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A thermoplastic composition comprising an annual fibre lignin derivative, wherein said lignin derivative has an aliphatic hydroxyl content of from about 1 mmol/g to about 3.75 mmol/g and a normalized RSI of 15 or greater.
 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the derivative has an aliphatic hydroxyl content is from about 1 mmol/g to about 3.25 mmol/g.
 3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the derivative comprises ethoxyl groups.
 4. The composition according to claim 3, wherein the ethoxyl content is 1.4 mmol/g or less.
 5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the derivative has an aliphatic hydroxyl content is from about 1 mmol/g to about 3.25 mmol/g.
 6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the derivative comprises ethoxyl groups.
 7. The composition according to claim 7, wherein the ethoxyl content is 1.4 mmol/g or less.
 8. A polyolefin composition comprising an annual fibre lignin derivative, wherein said lignin derivative has an aliphatic hydroxyl content of from about 1 mmol/g to about 3.75 mmol/g and a normalized RSI of 15 or greater.
 9. A method of producing an annual fibre lignin derivative, comprising: a) pulping a fibrous biomass; b) heating the pulp; c) maintaining the elevated temperature for 1 minute or longer; d) separating the cellulosic pulp from the lignin rich pulp; and e) recovering derivatives of native lignin, wherein the derivatives have an aliphatic hydroxyl content of from about 1 mmol/g to about 3.75 mmol/g and a normalized RSI of 15 or greater.
 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pulping process is selected from the group consisting of: steam explosion, dilute acid hydrolysis, ammonia fiber expansion, autohydrolysis, kraft and modifications thereof, soda pulping and modifications thereof, sulphite pulping, and organosolv processes.
 11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pulping process is a kraft process or a modification thereof.
 12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pulping process is an organosolv process. 